Monday, April 29, 2013

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Six years. Who'da thunk? This blog has been at it now for six years and starting into number 7. Sure it slowed some in the past year but I've recovered and am back at a, more or less, daily routine. This past year saw me spend a lot of work time in the Philadelphia and southeastern Chester County (SE Pa.) areas. I added one new ball field in Wilmington Delaware. At the Vigilant Hose Company in Shippensburg we opened our new fire station. Two trips up to the City, one saw me cruising around Yonkers and the other to catch the Lunar New Years Firecracker ceremony in Chinatown. More birds, more flowers, more sunrises. Back to Chincoteague Island, Virginia where I finally went up into the lighthouse. Back to Colorado to chase elk and only catching them with my trail camera. Ballonfest in Greencastle. I even went to the picture vault for a week of throwbacks. And an unscheduled trip to South Carolina to say goodbye.

One can always hope next year is better. I don't think I have any specific plans for the next year, so we'll all play it by ear. Wish me luck and follow along.

Here are some statistics from the Outskirts... In 6 years there have been 2034 post with 78003 post views. Top 5 countries viewing... US, Russia, Germany, the UK and Canada. I even had hits from Bulgaria and Pakistan in the past 24 hours. And the number 4 phrase Googled to find my site? "World of Pigeons Pennsylvania".

Friday, April 26, 2013

Color seems to be popping up everywhere this past week. The cherry tree is in full bloom now and the azaleas will be out any time now. Tulips are mostly blooming. Stopped at the greenhouse last evening and was admiring the columbine, might've been a color I don't have. Still haven't found the blue ones yet, though.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

The house finch is a funny bird. I sat and watched him root around until he found what he was looking for. Throw out the old stuff to get the good stuff. A bit of a bully when the goldfinches are already at the thistle feeder though.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

This is along the Bowery in NYC. This really isn't graffiti, it's like a poster or something glued to the wall. So is the guy with something in his hands up above pill-barf-man. I'm sure there is a message here somewhere. I guess this is what you get when you take away someone's paint cans. And Big Gulps.

Monday, April 22, 2013

My new feeder paid off in just one week. Beside the stupid grackles, who try to sit at this feeder and fall off, these are the first finches I've gotten into the thistle feeder. Goldfinches rule. I hope they hang out all summer.

It seems that all I shot lately are birds and flowers, I hope you don't mind.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Magnolia trees look so pretty when the are blooming and once they come to full bloom. Then they drop those big pedals. Everywhere. Then a spring frost hits and the big pink tree becomes this big wilted brown tree. I'm glad my neighbor has one. I'm glad I don't.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Well the grape hyacinths have popped. And I mean popped all over my flower beds, my yard, the farmers field out back, everywhere. A lot of the other flowers are doing just as well. The cherry tree will be full in a few days, the bleeding hearts have buds, the columbine are getting taller and the lupine will be better than ever.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

I sat on my mother-in-laws front porch last night and shot the birds coming into her feeders. Some of them got away, some I had to work for. This Tufted Titmouse was evasive. My first handful of shots looked like the last picture. Finally as I was losing light fast it stopped long enough for a couple shots, but my settings were a little dark. Change the settings and wait. Ahhh Hahhh, it got hunger again and ventured over from the rhododendron. Success.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

If you are a die hard Outskirts of Suburbia Painted Gentleman stalker you too would have noticed this Coke sign as soon as you saw it. I saw it and was ready to hop out and catch up later. But waited 'til after lunch while everyone else was wandering around the town square. Who knows how long it's been there? That building at 302 has been there a long time. The building at 300 Main Street in Edgefield, SC, whatever it once was, is now Still Magnolias. By their facebook page it looks like a crafty variety kind of store.